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In 2007, DreamMaker Ogden won Franchise of the Year for their concerted effort to help veterans and seniors with special needs remodel their kitchens and baths. Nate Coombs (middle) was in a sales role at the time, where he worked under his father and learned firsthand how a tanking economy can disrupt the remodeling industry.

Remodeling's Market Leaders 2007

The 2007 Market Leaders list highlights the top remodelers in 20 of the largest U.S. remodeling markets in what will be an annual feature in Professional Remodeler.

Jonathan Sweet, Senior Editor |June 30, 2007

Sal Ferro, president of Alure Home Improvements in Plainview, N.Y., recorded the highest 2006 volume on our Market Leaders list, at $49.9 million.

Photo by Matt Peyton/Getty Images

The 2007 Market Leaders list represents the top remodelers in 20 of the largest remodeling markets throughout the country in the first of what will be an annual feature in Professional Remodeler.

We compiled the Market Leaders list through a combination of our own research and information provided by the companies on the list. Companies whose annual volume could not be verified were excluded, as were large national or regional remodelers that serve multiple markets.

The list uncovers some interesting regional variations. For example, the list for many markets in the northern half of the country and on the coasts feature larger firms. On the other hand, many southern markets seem to be much more fragmented with a large number of smaller companies dominating the local remodeling landscape.

Following are profiles of the top firms in each market.

Click here for a graphic PDF of the 100 Market Leaders.

REMBRANDT REMODELING INC., Marietta, Ga.

Full service remodeler

rembrandtremodeling.com

Principal: James B. Bishop, president

2006 volume: $8 million

Projected 2007 volume: $10 million

2006 projects: 400

Employees: 30 field, 25 office

Target market: Homes of any age with a household income above $50,000

Major challenge: "Finding qualified leads is becoming increasingly more difficult. The cost to produce a lead has gone from $30 for a telemarketing lead in the old days to $300 for a lead today. We have to look at it constantly to manage our costs.

"Top opportunity: "Our new EnergyClad siding system is something the marketplace has not seen. We've made a James Hardie siding system that has a lifetime finish warranty. People don't want vinyl siding anymore, and they want energy efficiency, so I see this becoming the majority of our business."

Target market: Young professionals making more than $100,000, who have children

Major challenge: "Controlling expectations. No matter what you do, somebody always expects more. Our client base has a lot of money and is very demanding. It's also a more demanding world today," Wells says.

Top opportunity: Growing referrals. "Referrals are the bulk of our business, but we'd like to make it even more because advertising is becoming much less effective," Wells says.

Target market: Homes at least 30 years old, within five miles of the office, with a household income more than $200,000

Major challenge: Ownership transition. One partner recently retired, with his stock being sold to other people in the company. BOA is now in the process of transitioning Pleune's stock to the employees as well, so he can retire. "We didn't want to sell outside the company because of all the confusion of doing something like that."

Target market: Homes that are at least 10 years old with a household income of more than $60,000

Major challenges: The Do Not Call list has changed marketing from telemarketing to door-to-door canvassing and job-site flyers, coupled with home shows and other events. It's also a continual challenge to find quality salespeople.

Target market: Homes of any age or style in Philadelphia and its suburbs and a variety of commercial fit-outs and renovations for the hospitality, medical, retail and general office markets

Major challenges: "An ongoing challenge is to find quality leads and convert them to revenue, particularly considering the size of the organization that we have developed over our 20 years in business," Pennington says. "Additionally, providing residential clients with customer service that meets their expectations is a continual challenge considering the emotional process of home remodeling."

Major challenge: "It's always personnel. Our growth is limited by the number of competent people we can attract and retain on the sales side and on the construction side."

Top opportunity: Continued population growth, with 100,000 people moving into the area every year. "There are a huge number of homes in that five to 10 to 15 year age group that people are buying and wanting remodeled."

Target market: Homes that are 30 years old within five miles of office, with a household income more than $200,000

Major challenge: Finding excellent installers

Top opportunity: The company works with several homeowners associations to make sure its products are approved, so when someone in a neighborhood wants work done, American Home Renewal is the first company recommended.

Top opportunity: Unique roofing products, such as exclusive lines of metal and rubber roofing. "It allows us to have some separation from others in the roofing market. Not too many roofing contractors have exclusive roofing products they can offer."

Target market: "The target Case client is a well-educated, affluent professional (most likely a baby boomer) who has a household income of more than $120,000."

Major challenge: "Staying abreast of the changing dynamics of client's needs and maintaining the high level of service that they have grown to expect from our company."

Top opportunity: "As the remodeling industry continues to expand, an abundance of new business opportunities will emerge in areas such as green remodeling and new financing products, and with key groups like minorities, seniors and Generation X."

Related Content

In 2007, DreamMaker Ogden won Franchise of the Year for their concerted effort to help veterans and seniors with special needs remodel their kitchens and baths. Nate Coombs (middle) was in a sales role at the time, where he worked under his father and learned firsthand how a tanking economy can disrupt the remodeling industry.